Detachable assembly devices are numerous and very varied in the types of connection they provide. When it is desirable for assembly and disassembly to take place quickly, certain types of connection must necessarily be eliminated: e.g. screw and nut connections. It is often preferable to use connections obtained by interfitting fasteners, with assembly causing a latching element on one of the fasteners to be inserted by deformation into a receptacle fixed to the other fastener. This applies, for example, to certain couplings between suction tubes where a connection is obtained by inserting a retractable stud fixed to the end of one tube in a receiving hole formed in the end of another tube. These couplings do indeed enable assembly and disassembly to be performed quickly. Their defects lie in lack of positioning accuracy and in residual play. Although such defects can be accepted in couplings between suction tubes, they may be quite unacceptable in other apparatuses.
In some apparatuses, it is very desirable for certain component parts to be capable of being assembled by a detachable assembly system quickly and without play in such a manner as to lead to the components being genuinely locked together. This applies, for example, when installing a storage battery in a portable radiotelephone. A storage battery represents a significant portion of the weight of such a radiotelephone. Since the radiotelephone is portable, it will be subjected to numerous movements, which movements may be repetitive. If the battery is not properly held in its support this gives rise to nuisance for the user (e.g. because of the noise of the battery banging about) and for the apparatus (damage due to repeated shocks, and possibly an interruption of the power supply). Nevertheless, it must be possible for a battery to be installed and to be removed quickly, and this excludes using a screw and nut type connection.
The present invention seeks to solve this type of problem. It consists in using a deformable component (or a plurality of deformable components such as tongues) having a well-defined profile and suitable for engagement in a receptacle. After being deformed, the deformable component is accurately placed in a suitable housing. Any subsequent displacement of the component is prevented by the presence of a sliding part which holds it in place by applying pressure so as to eliminate any residual play. For the user, this gives rise to a single action for locking purposes and to a simple action for unlocking.